Dirigible light.



b1mm: s. SMITH. DIRIGIBLB LIGHT. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, 1912.

1,064,389. y Ptenwa June-10,'1913. i

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RALPH DE SLAZO SMITH, OF COR-DELL, OKLAHOMA.

DIRIGIBLE LIGHT. l

incassa Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 10,191 3.

Application sied June 8,1912. serial No. 702,611.

lights and relates more particularly to thatclass of lights known asldirigible lights.

The primary objectof the invention is to provide a dirigihle head light for motor vehicles which shall automatically adjust itself so as to always throw its rays directly in the path of the automobile.

Another objectof the invent-ionlis to provide an automatic head light which shall be extremely simple in construction, which may be easily adjusted tol tit various makes of machines, and which may be quickly and easily applied in position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a light for automobiles which shall enable pedestrians crossing-in front of'cars so equipped, to tell at a glance the exact direction in which the machine is proceeding, 30 thereby tending to do away with indecision of vpersons when quickly warned of the approach ot' a machine.

With these and other objects in view as shall become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of 'parts as I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention applied-to an automobile. Fig: 2 is a perspective view. Fig. 3 is a detail view taken on the plane of line 3 3 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is atletailview taken on the plane of v line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

.Referring to the drawingy by numerals, 1

designates the fore part of an automobile constructed in the usual manner and-having the frame 2, the axle 3 and steering knuckles 4,. provided with the rearwardly extending steering arms 5 which are connected to each 55 other by the transverse steering rod 6L 7 denotesa lamp supporting rod secured cent ally of the frame member 2 by the bcaring racket- 8. The upper end of the supporting rod is provided with a U-shaped frame. between the arms of which the lamp 9 60 is secured in the customary manner. A shoulder 10 is formed in the rod 7 by.bending it outwardly and upwardly. This shoulder bears against the upper edge of the bracket 8 and prevents said rod from 65 slipping downwardly. A rearwardly projecting connecting' bar 11 provided with a longitudinal slot 12 issecured atv its forward end to the lower end of the supportingrod 7. The connection is made by extending the rcd 7 through an opening in the connecting bar and then threading a nut 13 on the rod 7 so that it will bind against the under surface of the connecting bar. A tongue la is formed in the opening in the bar 11 through 75 which the rod 7 passes and projects into a lhngitudinal groove 15 formed in said rod. This tongue is for the purpose of preventing any rotary movement of the connecting bar relative to the lamp supporting rod. A lenso gitudinally extending shifting rod 16 is secured at. its-rear end to a U-shaped connecting member having upwardly extending arms 1 7 formed with alined openings through which the shifting rod passes. An upwardly projecting tongue 18 is formed within each of these openings and projects into a longitudinal groove 19 formed in the underside of the shifting rod.

.lam nuts 20 are threaded on the rod L.16 90 and engage. the arms 17 thereby preventing longitudinal movement of said shifting-rod. The forward -end ot the shifting rod 16 is bent. downwardly at right angles to the main portion and projects through the slot 12 in 95 which it is retained by the nut 21. It will be seen that this method of connecting the shitting rod to the connecting bar allows a free vert-ical movement of one of the members relative to the other, which movement will be caused by the acting of the springs 22. The slot 12 in the connecting bar 11 makes'it possible to adjustlmy device so that it will operate directly on any make of machine now in use. Dierent cars are pro# vided with different lengths of knuckle'arnis 5 and this makes it necessary to allow for a cert-ain amount 0I' adjustment,l otherwise,

'different machines would tend to turn the `1ight through different angles depending 110 upon the length of the steering ar The adjustment above referred to can be easily Amade by loosening' the jam nuts 20 and sliding the rod 16 p to the desired'position and then tightening the nuts f@ m that the adjustment Wiii be retained. f l A in order that the lamp supporting rod 7 f may be' easily and quiciiiv securet. to the 'frame member 2 I provide the vbracket 8 i with a removable cap ptite. A collar Q3 is secured about the rod 7 adjacent the under side ofthe bracket 8 and cooperates with the shoulder 10 to prevent any longitudinal movement of said rod.

The operation of my improved automatic head light is as follows: When the automobilel is,V turned, say to the right, the

Vsteering rod@ moves to the left and this mo tion is transmitted to the lamp supporting vrod 7 through the niedium of the shifting rod 16 and the-connectingbar 12. Since the rod 7 turns about a vertical axis, the movement ot' the steering rod 6 to the left will canse the lamp 9 to turn in the opposite di n is to be understood that While i have* shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, l do not Wish to be limited to the exact construction and arrangement of parts herein shown and described, but may make such opiea of this patent may be obtained for Loeaeee changes as shall fall Within the scope and spirit of the invention. i

lt will be seen that the device may be easily arranged so as 'to operate a pair of lamps Without departing from the scope 'of' the invention.

Having thus-described my invention, What l claim is i A dirigen@ head light for automobiles? comprising an arm mounted to turn about a vertical axis, a bracket for supportlng said arm, the arm being formed with a doWnarm, a shifting-,rod positioned in longitudinal alinement with the connecting bar'having its forward end bent downwardly and disposed Within a longitudinal slot formed in said connecting han a U-shaped fastener connected tothe steering rod, the arms of said fastener being provided with alined openings through Whichtlie rear endof the shifting rod passes, and means for holding said shifting Pod against rotational and longitudinal movement.

In testimony whereof l hereunto athx my signature in the presence of two witnesses. RALPH DE SLAZO SMITH.

Witnesses: Y

A. R. PRlBLn, A. M. Baiirs.

ve cents each, by addressing che Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

wenn 

